The One
by Historyexplorer12
Summary: Phai has a new lover! How will Xander react? And what adventures can they all get into? Warning: M/M, war, OC. More warnings will be put in individual chapters! Different POVs in chapters! Disclaimer: Xander & Phai belong to Oliver Stone & history, although this is more historical than anything Rated M to be safe! Title may change! If you have any suggestions, please tell me.
1. Alexander

**AN: Wrote this story forever ago. A friend from high school suggested I post it here. Enjoy!**

**AN: "Husband" is only a term of endearment in this story.**

It had been three-nearly four- hot months as the army and I traveled to Delfoí to visit Apollo's Oracle. The oracle there was said to be the most truthful in Greece. Finally, we neared the sacred city, and I was anxious to know what I would find in Persia.

"Think of it, Hephaestion!" I was dreaming, as was usual, "Persia! We shall all be kings by the time we return home!"

"Xander, Bucephalus!" Hephaestion reached over to me to reach for my ride's reins as he bent his head, panting and eying the healthy grass on either side of the dirt road we were traveling, the recent days in the desert taking their toll on my brave steed. As a consequence, I was nearly thrown from his strong back.

"Let's rest," Hephaestion suggested after the shock had faded somewhat.

"Yes, let's," I swung from my steed's back, allowing him to graze by me as I petted and praised him.

Hephaestion swung down from his own steed, only to find unsure footing and tumble into me so that we soon found ourselves in the sweet grass.

Winded and caught underneath him, I grumbled, "You did that on purpose…"

He laughed, "Never Love," before kissing me.

"You think you can just ki—oh, dearest…" as Hephaestion kissed me deeply.

"I know I can, darling," he smirked, his smile reaching his eyes, making them glisten with a mischief I had not seen since our childhood, "Oof!" he gasped, his expression turning to one of shock. We both strained to see what had caused this quick change without leaving each other's playful embrace, and saw Bucephalus nudging Hephaestion's rump curiously with his nose. We both laughed aloud for quite a while, and Bucephalus whinnied in happiness, and then Hephaestion's war-mare, Aella, ran to be near him, whinnying along wth him.

Hephaestion's sixteen-year-old Arabic servant boy he had saved from me in Tyre neared our resting place as the army neared us as well. As Hephaestion turned to greet his _boy_, I snarled at him.

"Fattah, my boy, what are you looking for?" Hephaestion smiled at him.

Fattah came up behind him and draped his arms around his neck, all while catching my eye and smirking at me. I turned away quickly.

"I was just thinking of you, Master, and came to see how you fared. Do you wish for anything? Food perhaps? Or drink?"

"Only you, my dear boy, would be concerned for my wellbeing when your own is lacking. How sweet," as the boy sat on his heels in our company, Hephaestion wrapped an arm around his slender waist to pull him closer, kissing his cheek, "Would you like some wine? Bread?" unable to say no, the boy took the offering with a small smile and had his fill.

While he drank, Hephaestion kissed his neck just below his ear. He drew away from the wine, smiling as he came to know Hephaestion's intentions. They soon found high grasses and other brush to hide behind while they indulged in each other. I watched the spot where they had disappeared only briefly before getting up and going to Bucephalus, only to hide my face in his dark coat and weep, not from grief so much as jealousy. I looked toward their secret spot and called on Zeus to send lightening bolts upon them both. Just then, it began to pour rain, as well as thunder. The army all climbed into their litters, and I counted heads. I soon found Hephaestion to be missing. Of course, I knew where he was, but the rain was blindingly thick, and I worried for him. Soon, however, he was beside me once more, face flushed with happiness even in the rain. He took to his litter with Fattah, and I took to mine, alone.

When the rain had cleared, Hephaestion came to see me in my litter, as it was still wet and the road was now drenched in mud. He brought Fattah with him. The boy sat in Hephaestion's lap as the latter smiled, caressing his arms, back, and dark hair. I turned away and stared beyond the closed curtains where weak light filtered in.

"Fattah, fetch me bread to break my fast," Fattah looked between Hephaestion and I and knew he wasn't wanted. Climbing down from the litter, he left us alone, "Xander—" Hephaestion edged closer to me.

"Do not call me that. Don't touch me!" I batted his hand away.

"What have I done?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was the fact that you spurned my love for another's. I would have given you anything when we wrestled yesterday. Or maybe it was the way you were _glowing_ like Apollo's sun after your time with him yesterday in the rain."

"What we have is new. You will do the same in Persia."

"No, I will not. You are my soul, Hephaestion. I will not be unfaithful to what keeps breath in my body. Am I tiring you, Hephaestion? I want the truth."

"Alexander, you know that is not true."

"Do I?" I asked with a cock of my head in anger.

"You know as well as I do that if I had not saved him in Tyre, you would have killed him. He is repaying me for the gesture."

"With his body?" I wrinkled my nose in disgust, looking at him.

"It may be the only way he knows how. We do not know how he lived before now. He may have been a servant of a king."

I gave him a look, looking up and down his body, "Well, if that is the case, his expectations have fallen a great deal."

Exasperated, he yelled, "You are impossible Alexander!" and, climbing from the litter, left me to wallow in my thoughts.

We suddenly stopped sometime after midday.

"What is it?" still irritable, I responded immediately to this unplanned stop. Without waiting for an answer, I caught sight of the tall trees in front of us, "That's not right," I ducked behind the curtains to search for my maps. As I suspected, the forest in front of us was uncharted.

"Hephaestion!" I called for him.

He came to me with Fattah by his side.

"We need a way around this," I ordered, "Find it."

"Ah," Fattah cautiously opened his mouth to share his thoughts.

"You were not asked to speak," I eyed him.

"Alexander, every man in this army has the right of an opinion. He is with me; therefore he has the same right. Go on, Erastís," I bristled, unable to believe that Hephaestion had just called this boy "Lover" in my presence.

"We cannot go around. There is simply no way to do it. I know forests. I could guide the army through. Sýzygos, Husband, I will need to borrow Aella…" He leaned his body into Hephaestion and looked up into his face as I sat dumbstruck by his name for _my_ lover and childhood friend.

"Always. She is ready for you."

Fattah looked beyond the curtains as he crouched before the slit to exit. He paused and then looked up at Hephaestion once more with large, dark eyes.

"I only know how to ride nude."

I wanted to straggle him, but with much difficulty restrained myself.

"That's fine. Remove anything you see fit," I was aghast, staring at Hephaestion, but he did not look my way, "I will have to ride with you," I turned away from them, seething.

When I turned back, they were both gone. To see if they did as they threatened, I ripped the curtains open, only to see Aella without her seat or harness. When Fattah saw me looking, he raced to the front of the line, slowing as he neared his destination, Hephaestion clinging to his middle and laughing aloud.

"Go on, Fattah!" I heard Hephaestion encourage, "Let her go!"

Fattah did as he wanted, shouting encouragement to Aella in his own language. Without seat or harness she whinnied, nearly screaming as she began to run with abandon. Bucephalus screamed as well, tearing from the groom's hold to follow her. I made the signal to follow them, and so we did, though too slowly for my liking.


	2. Hephaestion

We raced on, wind snapping around us. Fattah was bent low over Aella's neck, concentrating on pushing her to her limits. Soon, I heard the unmistakable rush of water. It became deafening within moments. I soon located the source. It was a waterfall.

"Are you coming, Husband?" again, shock met Fattah's name for me.

I finally looked down, into his eyes. His hand was outstretched to welcome me. When I nodded silently, and then jumped down from my perch, he caught me. He then situated me into the cradle of his arms. I was surprised at his strength; I am six feet tall and one-hundred-and-seventy-two pounds. He is only five feet, eight inches, and only one-hundred-and-thirty pounds.

He took me to a hidden cave behind the waterfall. Knowing the stone floor was chilled, he disrobed me of my loose Persian clothing, only to create a makeshift blanket for me, making me nude for washing in the process. He then took off his own shirt to give me a pillow for my head. From his small purse that he now revealed, he took a small washcloth usually used to wash the makeup from one's face every night before retiring for the night. He began to cleanse my body of all its aches and pains, rubbing the soreness from my feet and calves. He then moved in closer, spreading my legs just slightly to reach my thighs. I gasped, not in anticipation, but in pain. A prick of shooting agony shot up my entire back like a lightening bolt. This was from riding nearly three days straight without rest. I whimpered, which I did only in sight and hearing of my closest friends.

"Hush, we will get you a warm bath and rub all these pains away. I promise you."

He soon reached my hips, and I cried out in pain, trying, in vain, to sit up.

"I will go for the doctor. Stay here," he rushed out to Aella, only to gallop off a moment later. I curled on my side and even that was excruciating. Tears sprang to my eyes as I tried to breathe through the pain. Finally, after many minutes, Fattah arrived with the doctor.

"Where is the pain?"

"My—pelvis—feels heavy—" I panted as Fattah settled with my head in his lap.

"Are your bowels regular?"

"Yes—it feels like something is—broken…"

"Is it in the hip?" he began the physical examination.

"No—Lower—A-AHH!" I stiffened and twisted as he felt the very base of my backbone.

"Your tail is broken, probably from the hard riding. I can do nothing but advise you to refrain from any harsh movement or weight. Stay off your feet."

He was soon gone, and I turned my head on Fattah's welcoming, warm lap.

"Fattah…" tears pricked my eyes.

"Hush… Just rest, Dear."

"Fetch Alexander. He is angry with me, I know. What I don't understand is why. Is he mad at me because I am happy? He should be glad for me."

"Hush… I will go. I will be back soon," he made me comfortable, and then loped out to where Aella was tethered.


	3. Alexander 2

I recognized Fattah's voice as soon as I heard him calling for me. I ignored him, curling tighter on top of my blankets. Despite my aversion to him, however, he found his way into my litter, breathing hard from running.

"My king, it is Hephaestion."

Forgetting my anger, I straightened with worry, "What has happened? What did you do to him?"

He smiled softly at my accusation, "He has broken his tail from hard riding."

"CLEITUS!" I roared for another general in my army and a dear friend.

"Yes, Alexander?" he was immediately with us.

"Move this burden of an army now! Do not worry, dear boy, we shall soon be with him once more. You were very brave to come to me as you did," I gave him a look that he was sure to understand.

"Yes, my lord," he bowed his head.

"Do not fret. We shall soon be with Hephaestion again."

"Please do not punish him!" he threw himself into my arms, "He was only looking for happiness! Please understand!"

"I do, dear boy. I will not punish, nor hurt him further. You have my word."

"Thank you, my King," he removed himself from me, kneeling, head bowed.

* * *

It was taking double the time to arrive to the place where Hephaestion was by litter than Fattah did just by running. As a consequence, Fattah was anxious, lying under my blankets as I sat next to him on top of them.

"Fattah," he startled at his name, and turned to me quickly.

I found he had been weeping, and his makeup had run with his tears.

"Come here," I extended an arm out to him, "It will be all right. Let us fix your makeup. We would not want Hephaestion to see his other half in such a state, would we?" he raised himself up and then crawled to a spot in front of me, close enough for me to effectively reach him.

I set out Hephaestion's own set of cosmetics, readying the thin, point-tipped brush before reaching for the spare washcloth, the other one seeming to be missing. When I was prepared, I turned to the watery-eyed boy in front of me.

"It's all right. Do you want to talk of him?" his eyes widened in surprise before he nodded slowly.

"He—he is a great lover…"

"That he is. What gifts has he presented to you thus far?"

With careful fingers, he exposed his throat. On it hung a gold diamond inset with a jade, and with smaller gold diamonds hanging from the central one and quivering in the warm breeze.

"Oh my gods…" I reached out, wanting but afraid to touch it.

"He said he found the jade in the Aegean Sea as a boy, and had it inset not long after that…" his throat constricted as he swallowed as tears threatened to fall from his topaz eyes as he watched me nervously.

I was startled; why had Hephaestion not given me this gift? As this fleeting thought crossed my mind, I shook my sadness and anger away. I had to comfort Fattah, not punish him for an emotion he could not help. I noticed Fattah was staring at me as I was in my thoughts.

"You are still worried. Is there anything I can do for you? Anything I can get for you? Food? Drink?"

"My mother always used to brush my hair when I was sad…" he offered, turning his head to look over his shoulder at me, his thick, black, wavy, medium-long hair falling to just below his shoulders.

"We can do that. Cleitus! Bring me my horse-hair brush, if you will."

"Certainly, Alexander."

When the brush had come, I took a handful of Fattah's black silk in one hand, letting it run through my fingers for a moment. Fattah's head tipped toward me, his eyes closed in pleasure.

"Hephaestion loves to do that…" he purred, "He loves it especially after we have had a night together…"

"And what else does he like to do Fattah?" as I said this, teasing him, he blushed ever so slightly.

"He-he likes to—Ohhh…"

"Does he love you with his body?" I whispered, smiling at his reaction to simple words.

"Yes…"

"And does he love you with his heart?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"He-he said not too long ago he would steal the moon from the night sky, from Artemis herself, and go willingly to Kólasi for the crime, all to give me the moon…"

"Really?"

"Really."

I felt something in my other hand. Looking down, I saw that Fattah's long fingers lay on top of the brush, and I realized he had turned his head toward me, so I looked up.

"Can you please help me get ready for Hephaestion? I fear we are almost to where he is."

"Of course," I began to brush his brush went through easily and his hair was well oiled and free of tangles. It was as if he was not traveling with us at all, but safe at home, wherever he considered home to be. As I began to apply makeup to his face, I posed this question to him.

"Where do you consider home to be for you now, Fattah? Hold still just a minute, I'm not as good at this as Hephaestion…" I was putting liner on his eyes, "All right."

"Home for me is anywhere Hephaestion is. I love him, my king."

"Oh, call me Alexander. We have a new level of communication, do we not?"

"That we do. Alexander."

"Alexander, we are here!" Cleitus called to us.

Fattah began to fret that he wasn't ready, but I soothed him.

"All you need is the kohl around your eye and you will be ready."

"Oh, I don't care!" he was out of the litter and back before I could even respond, "He's cold. If the muscles are tight around his injury he could be hurt even more."

"How did it happen?" I descended the litter with him.

"The hard riding was too much for him. He fell off Aella a few weeks ago, but he is not one to complain."

"You're right. Everyone bring everything necessary, we are camping here until Hephaestion heals!"

Cleitus ran up to me, "I just took the last of the meat."

"Go out hunting. Fattah and I will stay with Hephaestion. Fattah, go to him. I will bring the extra blankets."

Fattah ran off, not wasting a moment.

**Translations: **

**Kólasi = Hell **

**AN: I got the traslations from Google Translate, so I am sorry if they are wrong! Feel free to correct them if need be!**


	4. Hephaestion 2

Fattah rushed in, smiling when he saw me. He ran forward, dropping to his knees beside me.

"I brought the entire army with me, Hephaestion. You are safe."

"And Alexander?"

"Fetching you proper blankets as we speak. Everyone else is out hunting; Cleitus took the last of the meat," I smiled.

"Sounds like him."

"I missed you so much. I was so worried."

"Well, I'm here now. Did you freshen your makeup?"

"Alexander helped. Is it noticeable?"

"That Alexander helped you? No. In all actuality, it looks quite fantastic. He forgot the kohl though."

"We got here before he could apply a fresh coat, and I was too anxious to let him. I was so worried."

"Fattah, it is a broken bone, not an open wound. I am fine."

"But I wasn't here when you woke up—" tears were forming in his eyes.

"And I got along just fine. It was only a little while ago that I awoke. Now, how about giving your ailing "husband" a kiss?"

While we were locked in our embrace, Alexander appeared at the cave entrance. We broke apart quickly, and he smiled and allowed us to continue, but I saw the hurt his eyes held. As we broke apart, I breathed a shaking sigh, driving Fattah to a panic.

"What hurts, Hephaestion? Does your injury hurt you?"

"I love you so," I whispered, "Go to Aella. In my bag, there is a wrapped package. Come back to me with it," He did so quickly, and now knelt beside me, eager for more instructions,"It is for you. Open it."

He did, and found a gold circlet with gold fringe to go upon his brow imbedded with an emerald gem, and a peridot gem decorated with small diamonds around it's middle to hang in the back, amidst his dark hair.

"What is it for? Why have you given me something so precious?" he looked at me, confused.

"Why, Love, have you forgotten? Come here," at my beckoning, his bent closer, "Chrónia pollá… Happy Birthday…"

"Oh gods! I forgot! I am seventeen today," he looked back at Alexander, "Will you help me?"

"Of course," he came close, taking my gift from Fattah's hands to place it on his head gently.

"How does it look? Do you have a looking glass?" Alexander fetched mine from my bag and carefully unwrapped it from its velvet, "Oh!" he looked surprised, "It is beautiful, thank you…" he bent nearer to me and we kissed.

"We will have to have a bonfire tonight to celebrate. You can dance and show Hephaestion's gift off to the army," Alexander suggested.

"I will," he looked at me and smiled brightly.

**Translations:**

**Chrónia pollá= Happy birthday (Greek)**

**I used Google Translate for the translation, so I'm sorry if it is wrong!**


	5. Fattah

That night, Alexander helped me to get ready for my performance, away from everyone.

"I hope Hephaestion is all right…"

"Hephaestion is fine. He is strong. He will not even recognize you," Alexander giggled while applying kohl mixed with mint to give it a green color onto my eyelid.

He then told me to close my eyes, and while the paint was still wet, sprinkled gold glitter into it. Next he used the red lip liner and gloss, both made from crushed raspberry. Finally, he announced me ready.

As the music, played by entertainers who had traveled with the army, started up and Hephaestion had his first look of me, I knew something was utterly wrong. His face was clouded and dark, not the laughing, merry kind I had hoped to invoke.

"Stop, stop, STOP!" he bellowed, "Love, come here," I went in the midst of a silent crowd, "Who did this to you? Who painted you?" I stayed silent, "By the gods, who?!"

"I did!" Everyone looked up to see Alexander standing, hand raised in the air.

"I should have known…" Hephaestion narrowed his eyes at his king and friend, "Tell me, Alexander, does Fattah look like a woman to you? Is he so low in your eyes that you thought painting him would please me? Is he?"

"No, Phai. I apologize that I have offended you…" Alexander's head was bent in shame.

"Do not apologize to me. It is not me you have debased."

"Fattah-"

"No, do not apologize. I wanted to do it. It is my husband that does not wish to see me happy..." I turned around and walked off, dragging my feet and with my head hung. I did not see the gaping, questioning look Alexander gave Hephaestion before he turned and trotted after me.

* * *

I carefully slipped the band from my head, setting it in my pack before I climbed onto the cot I shared with Hephaestion in our tent, not caring to undress or clean my face of the makeup.

I did not have a chance to weep even a tear, because Alexander burst in.

"Fattah, are you all right? No, of course you aren't," as I burst into tears, "Come here..." as he took me into his strong arms, I collapsed into his chest, sobbing, "Hephaestion can be such a cretin at times."

"As can you, Alexander," Alexander turned to see Hephaestion in the tent entrance.

I cringed, falling back into my old ways of survival in Tyre at the sound of his voice. Alexander shushed me and rocked me as I sat in his arms. Hephaestion came and knelt at the foot of the bed where we were, a sad smile on his lips.

"My gods, you are beautiful..." he whispered, staring lovingly at me.

I shook my head, still crying. I knew I was a sight, with makeup staining my face and my eyelashes clumped together by tears. He held out his arms to me, and I fell into them weakly.

"I'm sorry, so sorry..." he muttered into my hair, "I did not mean it the way I said it. You are not woman, and I will never treat you as such. And I am sorry if I took the gift of your beauty and made it seem ugly to you with my words. That's it, calm down..."

Alexander put a vial of some liquid to my lips, and then whispered to Hephaestion as I began to calm down, "Just enough of a sleeping draught to calm him. It's best if you keep him here the rest of the night though. He needs his rest after a breakdown like that."

"I will," Hephaestion whispered back, "Thank you," and there was the sound of a quick kiss on the lips before the sound of feet on the ground and the tent flap being moved out of the way before everything fell silent once more.

It was a few minutes before Hephaestion stood up and tucked me under the covers, undressing me along the way. Then he too stripped himself of his clothes and lay down beside me, kissing my brow as I sighed contently, my eyes closed.

It seemed that the sleeping draught was a little bit stronger than Alexander had intended, but that was all right. I needed my rest anyway, as he had said moments before.


End file.
